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Does renting a church building to a group — the Gay Coalition of Iowa, for 'instance — mean the church endorses the views of the group?Should a church’s building be allowed to be used regularly by a group of gay Christians?Should a church known for its emphasis on freedom of thought andthe rights of minorities be concerned if the public views the church as condoning homosexuality?If a church tents its building for a meeting of a group of homosexuals, does it follow that it should rent it for a Ku Klux Klan rally or a meeting of a neo-Nazi group?These were among the questions that members of First Unitarian Church at 1800 Bell Ave. wrestled with in an open discussion at their Sunday morning worship service.No ConclusionsNo final conclusions were agreed upon — not an unusual situation for a group of Unitarians — but feelings were vented and the air perhaps cleared a bitFor some time the congregation of religious liberals has rented its auditorium for Sunday evening meetings of the Metropolitan Community Church, a denomination of gay Christians.And on Oct. 14 the church building was rented to the Gay Coalition of Iowa, which held a rally opposing the views of Anita Bryant, the national symbol of militant anti-homosexual- iity, who was in Des Moines for a concert.Some members of the church thought a Register article announcing the Gay Coalition's plans to use the building implied — though the article didn’t say so — that the church endorsed the gay group.The board of trustees received an anonymous letter signed “Disgruntled Paying Member” saying the implication was that the congregation was made up of gays.Many Christian groups these days are struggling with what to say and believe about homosexuality as an alternate lifestyle, homosexual members and ordination of homosexual clergy.Unitarians always have stressed I their religious liberalism and emphasis on individual freedom of thought Many Unitarians prefer not to be considered Christians. But Unitarians here have found they are not immune to the homosexual debate sweeping the country.Discuss RentalThe board of trustees met recently and re-affirmed that in their view the Oct. 14 rental was consistent with the i building use rules of the church. Those rules indicate that building use must be in keeping with the church’s “bond of union” statement.”That statement was adopted in 1896 by the congregation, which this GAYPlease turn to Page9A
Newspaper Details
Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa, US
Mon, Nov 14, 1977
Page 15
Full Page
Clipped by
State H.
IA, USA 15 Mar 2019
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